Brain Pathology Case of the Month - October 2002

MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION:

Fig. 8 shows a low power view of the right superior temporal gyrus with severe cortical atrophy and spongiosis; fig. 9 shows a GFAP immunostain of the previous section. Fig. 10 shows a representative field from the right frontal lobe with gliosis and occasional residual cortical neurons; fig 11 shows the gliovascular elements of the atrophic cortex as highlighted by a GFAP immunostain. Fig. 12 shows a focus of chronic encephalitis with perivascular and intraparenchymal lymphocytic infiltrates and gliosis in the right thalamus. Fig. 13 shows two adjacent sclerotic cerebellar folia with total loss of granular cell layer neurons and Purkinje cells, and Bergmann's gliosis. Neuronal loss with gliosis and scattered foci of chronic inflammation were seen throughout the right cerebral cortex, but were more pronounced in the inferior frontal, temporal and occipital lobes, right basal ganglia, thalamus, amygdala and hippocampus. Atrophy with neuronal loss and gliosis were prominent in the left cerebellar cortex, left dentate nucleus and right olivary nucleus, left superior and inferior colliculi and tectum.